» Last week seven ordinands finished a week-long retreat at Douai in preparation for their priestly ordination. Six of them were ordained last Saturday at Westminster Cathedral by Cardinal Nichols, on which occasion Fr Oliver represented the community. The seventh is to be ordained this coming Saturday in Nottingham. Ad multos annos!
» Last Friday 10 Dominican friars in formation spent the morning at Douai. After Mass in St Mary's there given a tour of the abbey church, monastery and library before joining the community for midday prayer. Representing about of the current Dominican studentate, their visit reminded us of the vigour of the Dominicans in England at present.
» Also last week the local cluster of Catholic primary schools held their leavers' Mass in the abbey church, followed by a picnic in the monastery grounds. Thankfully the rain held off for most of the latter. Also recently Cheam School celebrated a First Communion Mass in the abbey church, on which occasion also a pupil was baptized.
» The community has been a little thin on the ground over the last few weeks with a number of berthren taking holidays. Please bear this in mind if you are trying to track down a particular monk.